So I’ve managed to not really hear anything by The Libertines thus far, but I’m thinking now that I’ll have to remedy that and right quick. What happened is, I downloaded a bunch of MP3s by Pete Libertine’s side project, Baby Shambles. They’re all self-recorded acoustic demos, and it sounds like some of them aren’t quite complete songs yet. But aside from that, these things are frickin’ awesome! I’m reminded a lot of Pop gods e.g. Syd Barrett (a lot, I mean come on… One of the lyrics is “In Arcady life trips along… Plain and simple as a sheperd’s song… Seraphic pipes along the way… In Arcady!”), The Velvets and dare I say… The Beatles? You can download all the tracks at www.babyshambles.net and I’ll include some direct links to my favorites, for quick and easy access:
And while you’re listening, you can read this profile of The Libertines from last month’s Vice!
UPDATE: Here are more stories about The Libertines. Apparently they’re affiliated with Alan McGee and Creation/Poptones now? Quotes:
Carl and John knew any song you threw at them, like human randomised iPods….The power of Pete Doherty will not be manifest until all human populations are judged after death. This is not meaningful yet, however all who have been born will die for that purpose, either in the Libertines or not…I think that the Libertines, revitalised Mick Jones to write music again.